Sec.  25.210   Technical requirements for space stations in the Fixed-Satellite
Service.

   

   (a) All space stations in the Fixed-Satellite Service used for
   domestic service in the 4/6 GHz frequency band shall:

   (1) Use orthogonal linear polarization with one of the planes defined
   by the equatorial plane;

   (2) Be designed so that the polarization sense of uplink transmissions
   is opposite to that of downlink transmissions on the same transponder;
   and

   (3) Shall be capable of switching polarization sense upon ground
   command.

   (b) All space stations in the Fixed-Satellite Service in the 20/30 GHz
   band shall use either orthogonal linear or orthogonal circular
   polarization. Those space stations utilizing orthogonal linear
   polarization shall also comply with paragraph (a) of this section.

   (c) All space stations in the Fixed-Satellite Service shall have a
   minimum capability to change transponder saturation flux densities by
   ground command in 4 dB steps over a range of 12 dB.

   (d) All space stations in the Fixed Satellite Service in the 20/30 GHz
   band shall employ state-of-the-art full frequency reuse either through
   the use of orthogonal polarizations within the same beam and/or
   through the use of spatially independent beams.

   (e) [Reserved]

   (f) All space stations in the Fixed Satellite Service in the 3600-3700
   MHz, 3700-4200 MHz, 5091-5250 MHz, 5825-5925 MHz, 5925-6425 MHz,
   6425-6525 MHz, 6525-6700 MHz, 6700-7025 MHz, 10.7-10.95 GHz,
   10.95-11.2 GHz, 11.2-11.45 GHz, 11.45-11.7 GHz, 11.7-12.2 GHz,
   12.2-12.7 GHz, 12.75-13.15 GHz, 13.15-13.2125 GHz, 13.2125-13.25 GHz,
   13.75-14.0 GHz, 14.0-14.5 GHz and 15.43-15.63 GHz bands shall employ
   state-of-the-art full frequency reuse either through the use of
   orthogonal polarizations within the same beam and/or the use of
   spatially independent beams.

   (g)-(h) [Reserved]

   (i) Space station antennas in the Fixed-Satellite Service must be
   designed to provide a cross-polarization isolation such that the ratio
   of the on axis co-polar gain to the cross-polar gain of the antenna in
   the assigned frequency band shall be at least 30 dB within its primary
   coverage area.

   (j) Space stations operated in the geostationary satellite orbit must
   be maintained within 0.05° of their assigned orbital longitude in the
   east/west direction, unless specifically authorized by the Commission
   to operate with a different longitudinal tolerance, and except as
   provided in Section 25.283(b) (End-of-life Disposal).

   (k) Antenna measurements of both co-polarized and cross-polarized
   performance must be made on all antennas employed by space stations
   both within the primary coverage area to facilitate coordination with
   other Commission space station licensees and outside the primary
   coverage area to facilitate international frequency coordination with
   other Administrations. The results of such measurements shall be
   submitted to the Commission within thirty days after preliminary
   in-orbit testing is completed.

   (l) All operators of space stations shall, on June 30 of each year,
   file a report with the International Bureau and the Commission's
   Columbia Operations Center in Columbia, Maryland, containing the
   following information current as of May 31 of that year:

   (1) Status of satellite construction and anticipated launch dates,
   including any major problems or delays encountered;

   (2) A listing of any non-scheduled transponder outages for more than
   thirty minutes and the cause(s) of such outages;

   (3) A detailed description of the utilization made of each transponder
   on each of the in-orbit satellites. This description should identify
   the total capacity or the percentage of time each transponder is
   actually used for transmission, and the amount of unused system
   capacity in the transponder. This information is not required for
   those transponders that are sold on a non-common carrier basis. In
   that case, operators should indicate the number of transponders sold
   on each in-satellite orbit.

   (4) Identification of any transponders not available for service or
   otherwise not performing to specifications, the cause of these
   difficulties, and the date any transponder was taken out of service or
   the malfunction identified.

   [ 58 FR 13420 , Mar. 11, 1993, as amended at  61 FR 9952 , Mar. 12, 1996;
    62 FR 5931 , Feb. 10, 1997;  62 FR 61457 , Nov. 18, 1997;  68 FR 51508 ,
   Aug. 27, 2003;  69 FR 54587 , Sept. 9, 2004]